DETERMINANTS OF ANGIOTENSIN-II-INDUCED HYPERTROPHY VERSUS HYPERPLASIA IN VASCULAR SMOOTH-MUSCLE

There is clear evidence implicating a role for angiotensin II in control of hypertrophic growth of vascular smooth muscle cells in vivo. However, the specific mechanisms whereby angiotensin II influences smooth muscle cell growth have not been defined. The focus of this mini-review is to consider how angiotensin II contributes to control of hypertrophic vs. hyperplastic growth of vascular smooth muscle in vivo, and in particular how the differentiated state of the smooth muscle cell may influence growth responsiveness to angiotensin II.